Butt Augmentation on the Rise Thanks to Kim Kardashian

by
April Maguire

By now, even casual observers of popular culture have noticed a recent upswing in booty-related content. Last year, pop stars Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea put their goods on display in their video for the aptly titled song, “Booty.” The following month Kim Kardashian, perhaps the poster child for the recent pro-booty movement, famously broke the Internet with photos of her well-endowed rump.

With all the attention on ladies’ bottoms, it’s no surprise that the American Society of Plastic Surgeons released a report stating that there has been a sharp increase in buttock augmentation procedures. In fact, procedures to increase the size of backsides were some of last year’s fastest-growing cosmetic surgeries.

Implants Versus Fat-Fillers

When it comes to increasing the size of their posteriors, individuals have two basic options: buttock implants or fat fillers. Implants, as the name implies, are prosthesis, typically made of silicone, which are implanted into a buttocks to add volume. With the fat-filler approach, however, the plastic surgeon uses natural fat from one area of the body and injects it into the buttocks, giving it a rounder, fuller look.

While both options are commonly used, buttock implants are considered by some to be the inferior approach. For one thing, implants carry with them a number of potential complications, including fluid collection and implant displacement. Additionally, many say that implants don’t look as good as natural fat-fillers. And unlike implants, which can move around, fat-fillers tend to stay in the desired shape.

Numbers (Like Hips) Don’t Lie

Despite the disagreement over the efficacy of the two procedures, both of them remain incredibly popular, and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ recent report demonstrates just how in-demand these surgeries are.

Last year, the number of buttock augmentations rose 15 percent from the previous year, with 11,505 reported procedures. And at between $7,000 and $10,000 a pop, that’s a lot of money being spent to increase booty size.

Meanwhile, the same report stated that 1,863 buttock implant surgeries were done last year. Although that is certainly eclipsed by the number of fat injections that people received in 2014, it’s still up a whopping 98 percent from the year before.

All of this may sound like a lot of booty work – and it is – but buttock augmentation still has a long way to go to catch up with breast augmentation. By far the most popular cosmetic surgery choice, there were more than 285,000 breast augmentation procedures performed in 2014.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about plastic surgery, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!